Researchers from the Indiana University School of Medicine (IU) say that premature births are at their peak when pesticide and nitrate levels in surface water are at their highest (April-July), and were lowest when nitrates and pesticides were lowest (Aug-Sept). The growing premature birth rate in the United States appears to be strongly associated with increased use of pesticides and nitrates, says IU's Paul Winchester, who presented the findings at the Pediatric Academic Societies' annual meeting
Winchester found that preterm births varied from a high of 12 percent in June to a low of 10 percent in September. The highest rate of prematurity occurred in May-June and the lowest during the period Aug-Sept - regardless of maternal age, race, education, marital status, alcohol or cigarette use. Interestingly, it also didn't matter whether the mother was an urban, suburban or rural resident.
"A growing body of evidence suggests that the consequence of prenatal exposure to pesticides and nitrates as well as to other environmental contaminants is detrimental to many outcomes of pregnancy. I am seeing a growing number of birth defects, and preterm births, and I think we need to face up to environmental causes," said Winchester. "Preterm births in the United States vary month to month in a recurrent and seasonal manner. Pesticides and nitrates similarly vary seasonally in surface water throughout the U.S. Nitrates and pesticides can disrupt endocrine hormones and nitric oxide pathways in the developing fetus," he added.
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Source: Indiana University
